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Shielding Gas
The right gas working for you
02 Contents
Contents.
6 Welding processes
8 Product range
21 MIG brazing
28 Supply options
30 Services
ACCURA®, CORGON®, CRONIGON®, LASGON®, LINDATA®, LIPROTECT®, LISY®tec MISON® SECCURA® and VARIGON® are registered trademarks of the Linde Group.
Choosing the right gas 03
Ar Ar/He
The addition of helium to the shielding gas results in a hotter welding arc
than that produced from pure argon.
For many people, the sole role of the shielding gas Weld metal properties
is to protect the finished weld from the effects of
Although the weld metal properties are primarily controlled by the
oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere. What isn’t composition of the consumable, the shielding gas can influence the
widely understood is that selecting the right shielding weld’s strength, ductility, toughness and corrosion resistance.
gas for the job can bring many more benefits. Adding oxygen and/or carbon dioxide to a shielding gas for MIG
welding carbon steel increases its oxidation potential. In general, for
The choice of the shielding gas can affect: a given welding wire, the higher the oxidation potential of a shielding
• the weld metal properties, such as strength, corrosion resistance gas, the lower the strength and toughness of the weld. This occurs
and toughness because the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the shielding gas increase
• the weld bead shape and size the number of oxide inclusions and reduce the level of materials such as
• the weld porosity and fusion manganese and silicon in the weld metal.
• welding speed and amount of spatter
When MIG welding stainless steel, the amount of carbon dioxide in the
shielding gas has an effect on the corrosion resistance of the resulting
weld metal. In particular, carbon transfer into the weld from the gas
can produce unacceptably high carbon content in the welded areas. If
those welds are exposed to excessively high heat input during welding
or elevated service temperatures, the material is likely to become
sensitised to intergranular corrosion due to carbide precipitation. When
welding ‘L’ grade stainless steels, it is important to keep the carbon
dioxide level in the gas below 3% to ensure carbon pickup doesn’t
increase carbon in the weld metal above the 0.03% specified maximum
for the weld metal in order to prevent sensitisation. Standard stainless
steels (non-‘L’-grade) also benefit from a limited CO2 content because
surface oxidation is greatly reduced.
04 Choosing the right gas
0.040
Argoshield Light
0.035
0.030
0.020
Argoshield Heavy
0.015
0.010
Carbon dioxide
0.005
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
% CO2 in Gas
The addition of carbon dioxide and oxygen to argon for MIG welding
carbon steels increases weld fluidity – allowing faster welding speed
and improving the stability of metal transfer.
Although shielding gases with lower levels of oxygen and/or carbon This is because the high thermal conductivity of helium results in more
dioxide usually result in weld metal having higher mechanical energy being transferred into the weld. This in turn produces a hotter
properties, these welds can suffer from greater instances of fusion weld pool, resulting in improved fusion and slower freezing times,
defects than those made from gases with higher oxidation potentials. allowing any trapped gas more time to escape.
Shielding gases with low oxidation potentials produce weld beads with
a very narrow wineglass or finger-like bead profile. Adding carbon Another way in which the shielding gas can improve the weld quality is
dioxide to the shielding gas has a significant effect on the shape of the by reducing the level of weld reinforcement. Weld reinforcement can be
weld bead, making it wider and more rounded, so reducing the chances a problem because it increases the stresses at the toes of a weld and in
of fusion defects occurring. severe cases can lead to cracking at the edges of the weld, particularly
under fatigue conditions. The normal method of removing or reducing
Another good example of how the shielding gas can affect the quality or the reinforcement is to grind off the surplus weld metal, but this is both
integrity of the weld metal is the welding of aluminium. When welding costly and time-consuming. A correctly balanced shielding gas reduces
thick aluminium sections with pure argon as the shielding gas, porosity, the surface tension of the weld metal, allowing the solidifying weld
lack of penetration and fusion defects can occur. The addition of helium pool to sink and resulting in a weld with lower reinforcement.
to the argon shielding gas can significantly reduce these defects.
Choosing the right gas 05
Operational performance
There are many ways in which a shielding can improve welding-process The use of carbon dioxide when MIG welding carbon steels can cause
performance. For example, the addition of hydrogen to argon when large amounts of spatter to be ejected from the weld pool. By using an
TIG welding-austenitic stainless steel results in a more fluid arc, which argon/18-20% carbon dioxide mixture, the amount of spatter can be
allows welding speeds to be significantly increased. halved and by moving to an argon/12% carbon dioxide/2% oxygen
mixture, this value can be halved again. Removing spatter after welding
is both costly and can cause problems if the component is subsequently
painted or coated, as the small marks left by the spatter show up as
surface imperfections.
06 Welding processes
MIG
The four most common welding processes are: MIG versus MMA
MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding, also known as MAG (Metal Active Gas) • MIG is a high-productivity continuous process requiring little down time
welding and GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding). In Europe, the term ‘MIG’ is
used only when a totally inert gas shield like argon is used, and ‘MAG’ • MIG can be used semi-automatically, automatically and robotically;
when the shielding gas also contains active constituents, such as MMA is manual
carbon dioxide or oxygen
• MIG is suitable for a wide range of common materials. MMA electrodes
TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding, also known as are available primarily for ferrous materials and nickel alloys
GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)
• MIG requires a shielding gas; MMA requires no shielding gas
FCAW (Flux Cored Arc Welding)
• MIG suffers from draughts affecting the gas shield. MMA is ideally
MMA (Manual Metal Arc) welding, also known as suited to outside and site work because the electrode coating
SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) generates its own shielding gas
Each process has strengths and weaknesses; some can be automated, • MIG doesn’t create a slag cover; MMA requires the slag to be removed
others cannot. But how does each compare?
• Welding speeds are much quicker with MIG
• With MIG, about 98% of the consumable weight is converted into weld
metal compared to about 65% for MMA
Welding processes 07
MIG TIG
• Skill levels for MIG welding are lower than those required for TIG • TIG can be used manually or automatically whereas MMA is a
manual process
• Welding speeds for MIG are generally about double those for TIG
• TIG can be used for all metals and alloys whereas MMA is limited.
• Weld costs per unit length are much higher in TIG welding However for alloys where MMA electrodes are available, they can be
tailored to suit the composition of the parent material
• Generally, defect levels in TIG welds are lower than those for MIG, and
TIG tends to be used for intricate work and where a high-quality finish • TIG requires a separate shielding gas but MMA produces its own
is required shielding gas
• TIG can suffer from draughts disrupting the gas shield. MMA is ideally
MIG versus FCAW suited to outside and site work because it generates its own shielding gas
• FCAW is mainly limited to carbon and low-alloy steels and some types • TIG doesn’t create a slag cover and needs little post-weld cleaning but
of stainless steel MMA requires the slag to be removed
• Positional welding can be easier using some flux-cored wires than • MMA is predominantly a manual process whereas FCAW can be used
with MIG semi-automatically, automatically and robotically
• MIG requires a shielding gas; some types of cored wire require a • MMA electrodes and flux-cored wires cover very similar ferrous,
shielding gas but others don’t stainless steel and hardfacing materials
• Flux-cored wires are much less efficient, about 65–80% compared • FCAW may be operated with or without a separate gas shield
with 98% for MIG (depending on the type). MMA never requires a separate shielding gas
• MIG and FCAW welding speeds are very similar • Self-shielded cored wires are ideal for site work, as is MMA
• MIG doesn’t create a slag cover but FCAW requires the slag to • Welding speeds are much quicker with FCAW, so joint completion
be removed times are much faster.
Product range
Argoshield Light
Argoshield Heavy
Specshield 20% CO2
Argoshield Universal
Carbon Dioxide
Specshield 2.5% CO2
Stainshield Heavy
Stainshield Universal
Stainshield Light
Stainshield TIG
Specshield 5% H2
Specshield 2.5% N2
Specshield 13% He, 4% H2
Pureshield Argon
Alushield Light
Alushield Universal
Alushield Heavy
Specshield 35% H2
Our product range includes some shielding gases that have been
tailored to offer added benefits. These have been specially developed
to optimise the performance of the shielding gas in one or more
respects.
All our products are proven mixtures offering the highest quality time
and time again, meeting or exceeding ISO 14175:2008 standards.
Steel forms the largest and most widely used group MIG welding
of structural and engineering alloys, and more steel
MIG welding is the most common process for welding carbon and low-
is used in manufacturing than all other metals and alloy steels. The high productivity obtained by this semi-automatic
alloys put together. process makes it ideally suited to the construction and manufacturing of
steel structures and components.
Steel is a term generally used to describe an extensive range of iron- Argon-based gas mixtures are commonly used to weld carbon and low-
carbon alloys. The carbon content may be up to about 2% but the alloy steels. These mixtures contain additions of active gases, oxygen
majority of steels contain less than 1% carbon. and/or carbon dioxide to improve welding performance. How much of
these active gases is added depends on the application.
Simple steels, with carbon (and silicon and manganese) as the main
alloying additions are often called carbon steels or carbon-manganese
steels, whereas steels with small amounts of additional alloying
additions (such as chromium, nickel and molybdenum) are called low
alloy steels. Low-alloy steels are used in low- and high-temperature
service and in creep- and wear-resisting applications.
Gases for carbon and low-alloy steels 11
Welding Spatter Reduced Porosity Fusion Penetration Ease of use Optimum thickness
speed control slag island control range (mm)
Argoshield Light 0.6 to 5
Specshield 20% CO2 4 to 12+
Argoshield Universal 2 to 12
Argoshield Heavy 4 to 12+
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
The higher CO2 content produces more spatter and slag islands which
can represent a considerable additional cost. Welding sheet material is
more difficult with this gas as it is easier to burn though.
12 Gases for carbon and low-alloy steels
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
Flux-cored arc welding and metal-cored arc welding processes are Carbon dioxide
similar to MIG welding, except that the welding wires are tubular and This gas is suitable for use with many brands of flux-cored wire.
contain flux powders and/or metal powders rather than being solid. Generally produces more spatter and particulate fume.
Consumable manufacturers blend their wires to suit one or two Specshield 20% CO2
shielding gas mixtures; check which are recommended before For use with flux-cored wires recommended for use with ‘mixed gas’. In
commencing welding. general it gives lower fume and spatter levels than pure carbon dioxide.
Lower fume levels can improve the workplace environment as well as
improve the well being of the workforce.
Gases for carbon and low-alloy steels 13
TIG welding
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
TIG welding
TIG welding is not commonly used for carbon steels, but it is used more Pureshield Argon
for welding low-alloy steels where high-precision joints and excellent Argon is the most common gas for TIG welding both carbon and low
surface finish are more important than high productivity. Since the alloy steels. Arc initiation is easy but welding speeds are relatively slow.
TIG process uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode, which is
susceptible to damage by oxidising gases, gases for TIG welding these Alushield Light & Alushield Universal
steels are usually limited to pure argon or argon/helium mixtures. The addition of helium to argon creates a more fluid weld with better
penetration, improved fusion and faster welding speeds. The higher
helium mixtures should be used on thicker section materials. These
mixtures are widely used on automatic welding stations where high
welding speeds are the primary concern.
14 Gases for stainless steels
Stainless steel is usually defined as an iron-chromium alloy containing • Ferritic stainless steels are not as corrosion-resistant or as weldable
at least 11% chromium. It often contains other elements such as silicon, as austenitic stainless steels. They have high strength and good
manganese, nickel, molybdenum, titanium and niobium. Most widely high-temperature properties and are used for exhausts, catalytic
used as corrosion-resistant engineering materials, it finds applications converters, air ducting systems and storage hoppers.
in aggressive environments and at elevated temperatures.
• Martensitic stainless steels are high-strength and are more difficult
Stainless steel is normally categorised into four main groups, and each to weld than other types of stainless steel. They are used for vehicle
group is further sub-divided into specific alloys. The main groups are chassis, railway wagons, mineral-handling equipment and paper and
austenitic, ferritic, martensitic and duplex. pulping equipment.
• Austenitic stainless steels form the most widely used group, • Duplex stainless steels combine the high strength of ferritic steels and
accounting for around 70% of all stainless steels fabricated. They are the corrosion-resistance of austenitic steels. They are used in corrosive
used in applications such as chemical processing, pharmaceuticals environments such as offshore and petrochemical plants, where the
manufacturing, food and brewing, and liquid gas storage. The integrity of the welded material is critical.
weldability of these grades is usually extremely good.
Gases for stainless steels 15
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
MIG welding
MIG welding using solid wire is an important process for joining Stainshield Universal
stainless steels, usually with argon or argon/helium-based mixtures. This argon, helium and carbon dioxide mixture produces welds with
These gases also contain small amounts of an oxidising gas such as very good low temperature toughness values as well as excellent
oxygen or carbon dioxide to stabilise the arc. Carbon pickup can also be corrosion resistance coupled with good penetration and low levels of
a problem and this limits the amount of carbon dioxide that can be used porosity. All these features can improve productivity, lower costs while
for low carbon grade (‘L’ grade) stainless steels to about 3%. producing welds of the highest quality.
Specshield 2.5% C02 The shielding gas operates well in dip, pulse and spray transfer
This mixture of argon and 2.5% carbon dioxide is a general purpose gas producing welds with very low surface oxidation. This mixture is
mixture for MIG welding stainless steels. It gives a good wetting action suitable for welding a wide range of material thicknesses at high
and produces smooth welds with little or no spatter and low surface speeds again helping to improve productivity.
oxidation. This reduces the need to use aggressive chemical cleaning
agents after welding. Stainshield Light
This high helium containing mixture is idea for pulse and dip transfer
Some carbon pickup in the weld can occur but levels should not exceed welding. The high droplet frequency reduces spatter while increasing
those required for welding low carbon grades in the weld metal. fusion characteristics making it idea for welding in all positions.
Stainshield Heavy
This three component shielding gases containing argon, helium and
carbon dioxide it is best suited for spray and pulse welding on thicker
materials. The welds produced have low surface oxidation, excellent
corrosion resistance, good fusion and low reinforcement levels. All
these features help to reduce the number of rejects keeping costs low.
High welding speeds makes this product idea for both manual,
mechanised and robotic welding. This can lead to significant
improvements in productivity as well as keeping distortion low.
16 Gases for stainless steels
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
Carbon dioxide
This gas is used with suitable stainless steel wires, large levels of fume
can be generated together with high spatter levels.
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
TIG welding
TIG welding is a very common process for welding stainless steels Specshield 5% H2 gives good weld penetration and fusion improving
where high-quality welds with good surface finish are very important. productivity and lower costs. These attributes can also lead to a
reduction in size of weld preparation further lowering production costs.
There is a greater number of shielding gas mixtures that can be used
for TIG welding stainless steel than for steel but not all gas mixtures are Specshield 13%He, 4% H2
suitable for all types, i.e. hydrogen-containing mixtures are suitable for This argon, helium, hydrogen mixture has been specifically developed
welding only austenitic types. for overcoming the problem of “cast-to-cast” variation when orbital
and automatically welding stainless steels. The addition of helium to
Pureshield Argon the mixture stiffens the arc column ensuring that equal levels of fusion
Argon is the simplest gas for TIG welding stainless steels and nickel occur on each side of the weld pool dramatically reducing side wall
alloys. Argon produces a clean welding arc, and is suitable for all grades fusion defects resulting in less rework and cut outs.
of stainless steel. However the arc is relatively cold and can suffer from
fusion and porosity problems as the material being welded gets thicker. Alushield Light
This shielding gas mixture is suitable for TIG welding all grades of
Stainshield TIG stainless steel with good welding speeds and penetration.
This argon/hydrogen mixture is the preferred gas mixture for manual
welding of austenitic stainless steels. It gives a fluid weld pool and Specshield 2.5% N2
produces a very clean bright weld reducing clean up time and costs. This mixture of argon and nitrogen is specifically designed for welding
duplex stainless steels. The nitrogen in the gas mixture helps to balance
Welders find this product very easy to use and with the better fusion the weld metal microstructure improving the in-service corrosion
and lower defect rates the gas produces productivity is increased and performance, particularly pitting corrosion resistance.
costs reduced.
Alushield Universal
Specshield 5% H2 This shielding gas mixture is suitable for TIG welding all grades of
This gas mixture has a higher hydrogen content than Stainshield TIG and stainless steel allows higher welding speeds and better penetration
tends to be used for welding thicker section joints and although it can than Alushield Light.
be used manually it is best suited to automatic TIG welding of austenitic
stainless steels.
18 Gases for aluminium, copper and titanium alloys
Welding Spatter Porosity Fusion Penetration Ease of Thickness range Thickness range
speed control control use for MIG (mm) for TIG (mm)
Pureshield Argon 1 to 4 0 to 3
Alushield Light 1 to 6 1 to 6
Alushield Univiersal 3 to 10 3 to 9
Alushield Heavy 6 to 12+ 6 to 12+
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
These non-ferrous alloys can exhibit a wide range of mechanical, The choice of shielding gas for welding these materials is very simple
electrical and corrosion-resistant properties, depending on the alloy in that only the inert gases are suitable as the major ingredients for
system, but they all have one property in common – they oxidise very shielding gas mixtures. Consequently the most common gas mixtures
easily during welding, and are sensitive to moisture and impurity pickup for both MIG and TIG welding aluminium, copper and titanium alloys are
by the weld. Because of this they are not as easy to weld as the steel pure argon, pure helium and mixtures of the two.
alloys, and good welding technique/procedures, together with good
housekeeping and cleanliness in and around the welding area, are Small additions, (usually less than 0.05%) of oxidising gases have been
essential in order to weld these materials successfully. shown to be beneficial additions to argon/helium mixtures for welding
aluminium. However, these are specialised applications and require
welding engineering assessments. Titanium is very sensitive to oxygen
and nitrogen and may even require special low-impurity products.
Gases for aluminium, copper and titanium alloys 19
The fluid weld pool can both increase welding speeds as well as reduce
defect levels minimising the number of rejects created. Smaller weld
preparations will also further improve the economic advantage of using
such a shielding gas.
20 Plasma welding and cutting
The greater the number of dots, the better the gas performs.
Plasma welding is a precision process involving a restricted welding arc, Plasma cutting is used for cutting all metals and their alloys. In plasma
and it is used for welding a wide range of materials. There are many gas cutting there are two gas streams: one to generate the plasma and
mixtures that can be used for plasma welding, but as with other welding the second to blow away the molten metal from the cut face. In some
processes, it is important to choose a plasma shielding gas that does machines, one gas is used for both tasks but in others, separate
not adversely affect the welding process or the weld metal produced. gases are used.
Pureshield Argon The choice of both the plasma and shielding gas depends on the
Argon is a standard shielding gas that can be used for plasma welding material being cut and the condition of the cut surface required.
of all materials. Choosing the wrong gas mixtures can create metallurgical defects close
to the cut face that can affect welding.
Alushield Light
This mixture can be used for plasma welding of all materials usually in Specshield 35% H2
thicker sections. Used primarily for plasma cutting aluminium and stainless steel as the
plasma gas it produces a smoother cut face at higher speeds than other
Stainshield TIG/Specshield 5% H2 mixtures. It is often used in combination with nitrogen or carbon dioxide
These mixtures are primarily used for plasma welding of austenitic secondary gas.
stainless steels. The thicker the section of material to be welded, the
higher the hydrogen content in the plasma shielding gas.
MIG brazing 21
MIG brazing
MIG brazing is a variation of the MIG welding process using copper-alloy Pureshield Argon
filler wires rather than wires with similar compositions to the parent Argon is suitable for MIG brazing with both copper silicon (CuSi) and
material. In MIG brazing, because no fusion takes place between the aluminium bronze (CuAl) filler materials. However the travel speeds are
parent material and the filler wire, the strength of the joint relies on the low and the weld bead appearance is not as good as with other gas
level of capillary action of the filler. mixtures with high levels of reinforcement.
Standard MIG equipment is suitable for MIG brazing and usually the only Specshield 2.5% C02
change required is to fit wire feed rollers suitable for the softer copper- The addition of a small amount of carbon dioxide to argon gives better
based wires. The filler wire is usually either a copper-silicon (CuSi) alloy results than pure argon for both filler types. The carbon dioxide helps
or copper-aluminium (CuAl – aluminium bronze) type. stabilise the arc reducing spatter as well as producing a more even bead
shape, however some surface discolouration can occur especially with
aluminium bronze filler materials.
Alushield Light
The addition of helium to the shielding gas helps improve the fluidity
of the weld pool producing a more even weld bead shape at faster
welding speeds. The helium also helps with the capillary action
improving the bond between the surfaces being joined. This shielding
gas is often preferred when welding with aluminium bronze filler.
Stainshield Heavy
This shielding gas produces very smooth weld beads with little
reinforcement and virtually no spatter. Welding speeds are also very
high as the fluid weld pool gives the welder better control.
22 Purging or root backing
atmospheric contamination but if no purging or Argon is widely used for weld purging due to its inert nature. It will give
root backing is carried out on the back of the weld, satisfactory results on all materials because no compounds are formed.
it will oxidise.
Nitrogen is also widely used. However, care should be exercised
because some materials (such as aluminium) are sensitive to nitride
Purging is usually carried out when the welded material is going to be formation and this can reduce the corrosion-resistance characteristics.
used for its corrosion-resisting qualities, such as stainless steels and Also, nitrogen is an austenite stabiliser in stainless steels and
some nickel alloys, or when the material will oxidise very easily during adsorption into the weld areas could produce an unacceptable
welding, such as with aluminium and titanium alloys. If root purging is microstructure.
not done, it can significantly reduce the working life of the component
or in the worst case lead to its failure in service. Hydrogen is added to argon primarily to improve its oxygen-scavenging
characteristics. Gas mixtures such as Stainshield TIG and Specshield 5%
Purging is achieved by passing a dry stream of an inert, low-reactivity H2 are frequently used in high-quality applications where only very low
or reducing gas over the reverse side of the weld area to exclude the levels of oxidation can be tolerated. These mixtures are only used with
air, preventing oxidation from taking place. It is important to choose the materials that are not susceptible to hydrogen attack, such as austenitic
purging gas with care. For some metals that oxidise very readily (such stainless steels.
as titanium), it may be necessary to place the component in a chamber
filled with the purge gas to ensure that oxidation does not take place.
Purging or root backing 23
In many applications, it is necessary to maintain a low oxygen When using purging gases containing more than 5% hydrogen, it is
concentration during welding. Just what level of oxygen can be recommended to burn off the hydrogen to prevent build-up. However,
tolerated depends largely on the material being welded and the type of hydrogen burns with a nearly invisible flame, and it is recommended
service the component will undergo. that a wire mesh cage be fitted around the flare stack to prevent an
operator accidentally coming into contact with the flame.
Technical advice should be sought if you are unsure of the oxygen level
required but as a general guide the following may be useful: When purging, the volumes of inert or unreactive gases used tend to
be quite high and this significantly increases the risk of asphyxiation in
• For carbon and many low-alloy steels, for most applications, back the areas around the welding station. It is therefore important always
purging is not required. to check the working environment ensure to that there is adequate
• For carbon and low-alloy steels, when back or pipe purging is oxygen present to support breathing.
required, a value of 1% O2 is often considered acceptable.
• For many applications with stainless steel, an oxygen level of 0.01%
(100ppm) is satisfactory but some surface oxidation will occur.
• For stainless steels for extreme service conditions, a level of 20ppm O2
may be necessary to prevent pitting corrosion or subsequent stress-
corrosion cracking.
• For nickel alloys, between 25 and 50ppm O2 may be stipulated.
• For reactive metals like titanium and zirconium, as little as 5 or 10ppm
O2 is normally required to prevent embrittlement.
• For semiconductor applications, impurity levels of 1ppm are
generally required.
• The level of oxygen after purging can be estimated from flow-rate/
flow-time charts available for different-purity purging gases, but it is
more accurate to use an oxygen analyser.
24 Frequently asked questions
Here are a few of the many thousands of questions • poor welder technique – too long a stick-out or bad torch angle.
• incorrect choice of shielding gas – shielding gases containing
BOC engineers are asked every year. Some you will
hydrogen and/or nitrogen are beneficial for some materials but can
know the answer to, for others, the answer may not cause porosity in others.
be what you were expecting. Some you may have • poorly maintained equipment – if hose fittings are not tightened or if
there are gas leaks in the power source or torch, air can be entrained
been waiting years to have an answer to. into the shielding gas. Also some types of hose are permeable and can
allow moisture to enter the shielding gas. Surface contamination – oil,
grease, water and other contamination on the welded component –
Can my gases have separated in the cylinder? can add hydrogen into the weld metal.
Gases don’t separate in a cylinder. In a cylinder the gas molecules are This is not an exhaustive list but most causes of porosity are caused by
constantly in motion and this ensures total mixing. If gases didn’t stay poor housekeeping and/or poor welding procedures.
mixed, air would have separated into oxygen and nitrogen by now!
Why can I not use pure argon for MIG welding steels?
Why am I getting holes in my welds?
While it is possible to MIG-weld steels with pure argon, the arc
Holes (porosity) are usually caused by gas entrapment inside the produced is very unstable and erratic, and the resultant weld will have
cooling weld metal. While gases such as nitrogen are one of the main a lot of spatter and an unsatisfactory penetration profile.
causes of porosity, other sources such as water, oil and grease on the
material can be as much of a problem. When MIG welding steels, a small amount of oxidising gas (either
carbon dioxide or oxygen) is needed to help to stabilise the arc and
The main causes of porosity are: produce sound welds.
• too high or too low a flow of shielding gas – too high and air is
entrained into the shield; too low and the gas can’t protect the cooling
weld metal from the atmosphere.
Frequently asked questions 25
Why am I getting a lot of spatter on my welds? The best way to prevent cracking is to choose a consumable which has a
high enough ferrite content to ensure that the weld metal does not crack.
There are several causes of spatter, but the most common are:
• using unstable welding conditions – incorrect voltage for a given Cold cracking, properly called ‘hydrogen cracking’, occurs in welds that
welding current are intolerant of hydrogen (e.g. martensitic stainless steels). Hydrogen
• poor welder technique – too long a stick-out or bad torch angle dissolves in the weld metal while it is molten then after solidification it
• surface contamination on component – oil, grease, moisture diffuses to small defects in the weld and hydrogen gas forms, building up
• surface coatings such as paint and zinc galvanising in pressure as the weld cools. Then, when the pressure is sufficiently high
• using carbon dioxide as the shielding gas – mixed gases are more and the weld is cool and more brittle, this internal pressure can cause the
stable and produce less spatter weld to crack. This may not occur until many hours after welding.
Training the welder to set good welding conditions and clean the
component properly can eliminate many of the problems. What causes the sooty deposit when welding aluminium?
This sooty deposit is not soot (carbon) at all, but a form of aluminium oxide.
I get cracking when welding stainless steels. Why?
When welding occurs, some of the parent material and filler wire is
There are two main types of cracking in stainless steels: ‘hot cracking’ volatilised by the welding arc. As this fine metal vapour leaves the
and ‘cold cracking’. area covered by the shielding gas, it reacts with air, forming aluminium
oxide that condenses on the component being welded. The higher the
Hot cracking, properly called ‘solidification cracking’, tends to be a welding current used, the greater the amount of oxide produced.
problem in austenitic stainless steels. It is called ‘hot cracking’ as it
tends to occur immediately after welding while the weld is still hot. It is not always possible to eliminate this problem but altering the torch
Weld-metal solidification cracking is more likely in fully austenitic angle and ensuring correct shielding gas coverage can minimise the
structures which are more crack-sensitive than those containing a small effect. Also, if the weld is cleaned immediately after welding, the oxide
amount of ferrite. is much easier to remove than if it is left until the weld is cold.
26 Health and safety
Electromagnetic radiation
Wavelength (nm)
100
280
315
400
760
1400
3000
106
Arc eye Retinal burns Corneal burns
Blue light
Cataracts
UV-B
UV-A
VISIBLE
IR-A
IR-B
IR-C
Electrical hazards Fire and explosion are serious hazards in the welding environment.
Heat and flames can result in fire or even explosion in the presence of
Touching live electrical equipment or components, including the combustible materials, dust, flammable liquids, gases or vapours.
electrode and the workpiece, can result in burn injuries or, more
seriously, electric shock. Electric shock can kill by direct action on the
body. It can also cause you to fall if working at height.
Health and safety 27
Noise Solvents
Noise is an everyday occurrence in an industrial workshop. All welding Solvents used in welding industry may be flammable, contain
and cutting processes generate noise but some are much noisier than constituents that are flammable, or they may be non-flammable.
are others. Ancillary processes like grinding, chipping, gouging and The most frequently encountered flammable solvents are acetone,
hammering also generate varying levels of noise. Exposure to noise petroleum ether and white spirits.
over a period of time can result in impairment or loss of hearing.
Some solvents break down under the action of the welding arc to form
toxic or irritant by-products, the most toxic of these being phosgene.
Welding fume
All welding processes generate welding fume but some produce very Precautions
little fume while others produce much more. Welding fume consists of
particulate fume – the cloud of smoke you can see rising, and gaseous Controls
fume, which you cannot see but can sometimes smell. In most cases, Good general ventilation, and/or local fume extraction should be used
welding fume is formed close to the arc and near the welder, but some of to control the fumes and gases produced during welding to below their
the gaseous fume (i.e. ozone) can be generated well away from the arc. individual recognised exposure limits when measured in the welder’s
and co-workers’ breathing zone.
The potential effect on the body of exposure to welding or cutting fume
depends mainly on the amount of fume produced, what is in it and the In confined spaces where ventilation is not adequate, it may be
length of time the worker is exposed to the fume. Whilst all components necessary to use an air-fed breathing system. Where fume levels exceed
of welding or cutting fume may present a risk to health given a high the recognised exposure limits, respiratory protection may be required.
enough concentration, some present a greater hazard than others.
Personal protection
Due to the hazards associated with welding, cutting and other
manufacturing processes, welders and co-workers in the vicinity should
wear the correct protective clothing, hearing and eye protection as
specified by local standards.
28 Supply options
Although not available for shielding gas mixtures, liquid cylinders are
available for a range of pure gases such as argon, oxygen, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen. When used in conjunction with a mixing system,
liquid cylinders can be used to produce many of the BASE product line
shielding gases.
Liquid tanks are best suited to customers who require large volumes Mixing systems are available in a range of capacities to suit your
of gas. These cryogenic tanks are fixed on concrete plinths at the applications. These precision products can be supplied ready to produce
customers’ sites, and are filled periodically by liquid tanker trucks. The a fixed composition or with the flexibility to make different gas mixtures
largest liquid tanks hold over 60,000m3 of gas, which is enough to either manually or by computer control.
last one welder over 2.5 years. These vessels are best suited to large
factories with more than about 25 welders or welding stations. Our trained engineers will be happy to size your installation for you,
ensuring that you have the right package for your present and
Again they are available for a range of pure gases such as argon, future needs.
oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. A mixing system is required to
create the required shielding gas and a pipeline is needed to deliver it
to where the welding is taking place.
*Volume of gas in the cylinder depends on the type of gas *Volume of gas in the cylinder depends on the type of gas
*Volume of gas in the bundle depends on the type of gas *Volume of liquid in the tank depends on its size
30 Services
BOC provides a broad range of services • Complete Supply Options – Whatever the process used we have a supply
mode to meet your needs. Compressed gas cylinders, mini bulk and
complementing your choice of gas. Our services
bulk cryogenic gases - We supply them all without any effort to you.
portfolio has been developed to meet your needs
as our customer. The portfolio can be broken down
Quality and safety
into four interlinked segments:
Safety is a priority for BOC and most likely for you too. BOC can provide
3 Administrative efficiency you with know-how in the safe use of your shielding gases.
3 Supply reliability • Safety Training – these are practical courses designed for the users of
3 Quality and safety gases. These can be delivered at a customer site or at open workshops
3 Process know-how enabling all levels of personnel to meet their individual needs.
• Gas Analysis – professional analysis of gas in the lab or on site
guarantees the high and consistent quality you need in your processes.
Administrative efficiency • Preventive maintenance contracts – we offer a regular check of your
gas-supply system, to ensure its safe operation and, if required, to
Not only do we deliver high-quality products as standard, but we make maintain and repair the system.
it simpler and easier for you to order your gas when you need it.
• Customer Service Centre – BOC offers you a one-stop-shop for all your
gas supplies, equipment needs, associated products and services Process know-how
you need for your business. We are for you all day, everyday - so
whenever you need assistance we are just at the end of the phone. The BOC is part of a global solution-provider committed to the welding
industry. With our outstanding global team of application engineers, we
have high competence in all shielding gas processes.
Supply reliability • Application training – you can benefit from our experience in welding
and cutting applications to ensure that the skill levels of your workers
It is our goal is to eliminate all unscheduled interruptions to your are as high as possible.
delivery, ensuring you get the right gases when you want them. • Process consultation – our application engineers can look at your gas
• Extra Delivery Services – we know you can’t always predict exactly when consumption and optimise it for your processes.
and how much gas you will need. Express and emergency delivery,
delivery to point-of-use and cylinder connection are some of our service
offers available to you. That’s why we deliver when it suits your needs.
Services 31
The cylinder label is the primary method of identifying for any gas; Cylinder colours
the cylinder colour should only be used a guide. If a cylinder does not
have a cylinder label, it should not be used but should be returned Gases
immediately to the supplier. Argon
Nitrogen
Carbon Dioxide
Helium
Cylinder body colour is not covered by the standard and can be any colour
BOC – turning ideas into solutions
BOC is a member of The Linde Group, the leading global gases and engineering company. BOC is the UK’s largest provider of
industrial, specialist and medical gases, as well as related products and services. As a leader in the application of technology,
we are constantly looking for new ways to provide our customers with high quality products and innovative solutions.
At BOC we help our customers to create added value, clearly discernible competitive advantage and hence greater profitability.
To achieve this we have a comprehensive range of products and services, and technical support which can be customised to
meet the individual requirements of our clients.
To keep ahead of the competition in today’s market, you need a partner for whom quality, service, process and productivity
optimisation are an integral part of customer support. We are there for you and with you, helping to build your success.
BOC’s reputation has been forged through partnerships – with customers, with relevant regulatory authorities and with key
suppliers. In this way, we deliver comprehensive and consistent benefits to you.
BOC
The Priestley Centre, 10 Priestley Road, The Surrey Research Park, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XY, United Kingdom
Tel +44 1483 579 857, Fax +44 1483 505 211, www.BOConline.co.uk
The stripe symbol and the letters BOC are registered trade marks of The BOC Group Limited. Both BOC Limited and The BOC Group Limited are
members of The Linde Group, the parent company of which is Linde AG. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. © BOC Limited 2010